General Hospital Redux : Ancient Quarrels
by Stratusfied247
Summary: [JaSam] In this edition of the GHR serial, a blast from Sam's past shows up in Port Charles. He's there partially for business with the Alcazars and partially because of her. When he ends up dead, though, just who will end up taking the fall?
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Notes: This is in the GHR series (as can be told from the title) and takes place sometime after High Wire Act, the Brenda and Luis story. For a running list of casting changes, please refer to the original story, General Hospital Redux. For the most part, though, the main casting differences from the current show that will probably appear in this story are:_**

**_Tamara Braun as Carly  
Jonathan Jackson as Lucky

* * *

_**Sam McCall stared into the interrogation room, arms folded over her stomach. The District Attorney paced back and forth. She could only see his back, but from the expression on Jason's face, she knew that Ric Lansing was talking. She also knew that Jason didn't like whatever he was saying.

Sam wished she were in the room and knew that she should have been the one inside. She should have been the one who was carted out of the penthouse in handcuffs. Most of the time, Jason was the guilty party, but this time, the cops couldn't have been more wrong. Jason hadn't killed anyone. No—That was wrong. Jason had done a job recently, but they didn't know about that. This time, however, this particular body… Jason had nothing to do with it. This time, the body floating face down in the harbor was all on Sam's head.

Jason's eyes fell on her and Sam instantly felt overwhelming guilt. He should have at least known what happened. She'd had every intention on telling him, but the police hadn't given her the chance. The ends of her hair were still wet from the bath she'd just stepped out of when the policed showed up at the door.

Of course, Alexis would probably say that Jason didn't need to know. The less he knew, the better. He couldn't let anything slip. He couldn't do anything that would implicate himself or anyone else. At the moment, he wasn't giving anything away. Jason Morgan gave great straight-face. The only people better at it would have been Lorenzo and Luis, and sometimes, she thought Jason even had Luis beat.

Sam turned from the window and sighed. Where was Alexis, anyway? She had called her on the way to the police station and let her know that this was urgent. She hadn't given any details but Alexis never needed those right away, anyway. She could get the gist over the phone. The rest could wait.

"Sam." She turned and sighed with relief. Alexis Davis strode into the station on brown pumps that matched her brown suit. It could have been called a power suit, but all of her suits were power suits. "What did he do this time?"

"Jason didn't do anything." Alexis fixed her with a disbelieving and almost offended look. Sam groaned and rolled her eyes. "Look, I realize that your job usually entails Jason doing something, but this time, he really didn't do it."

"For the moment, I'll assume that you may know what you're talking about." Sam growled and Alexis ignored her. "What do they think he did?"

Sam sighed and turned away from Alexis. She walked slowly back to the window and stared inside again. She didn't want to tell Alexis before she had even told Jason. There was no way she'd be able to just let it drop without explanation. Sam would have to tell her everything, or at least enough to explain why they would think Jason had done it. Why she knew Jason was innocent just might be able to wait.

"They think he killed Manuel Ruiz."

Alexis went still for a second, just long enough for Sam to k now that the name was familiar to her. "Why would he kill Manuel Ruiz?"

Sam sighed, still staring into the room. Hadn't she been listening? Jason didn't kill Manuel Ruiz. Of course, Alexis could have just been trying to get more information out of her. She shook her head and muttered, "I really wish I knew what Ric was telling him."

"Why does it matter?" Alexis tapped her fingers lightly against the glass. "How do you know Manuel, Sam?"

"Who said I knew Manuel?"

"I saw it in your eyes. Heard it in the tremor of your voice when you said his name. Alexis went still and waited for Sam to say something. The air between them remained silent as Sam mentally berated herself. She'd really tried to have no emotion at all in her voice when she said his name. "Does Jason know?"

"Does he know what?" The innocence sounded false even to Sam's own ears. "No," she said with a sigh.

"So, the cops think Jason murdered Manuel. Either because he was a rival to the Alcazars, or because you're his ex-girlfriend. Do you think Ric knows about the latter?"

"He could," she said with a shrug. "And if he does, he's already told Jason."

Alexis turned to Sam and looked down to the diminuitive brunette. Her heavy gaze made Sam uncomfortable and she fidgeted, scratching at her arms. "Jason really didn't do it, did he?" Alexis asked.

Sam looked up at her with cold eyes and said, "No." She turned back to the window. She reached out slowly and pressed her palm flat against the glass. The glass was cool beneath her hand, but still her palm sweated. She pulled her hand back and rubbed it against her jeans. Sam locked eyes with Jason and whispered, "He didn't kill Manuel Ruiz."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Six weeks earlier…**_

Sam looked at the clock and cursed herself for sleeping so late. There were things that needed to be done if she were ever going to make it down the aisle. At ten in the morning, Brenda and Carly were probably already waiting for her at Kelly's. They were also probably in the middle of yet another argument. Par for the course with the Alcazar women, but Sam had to get used to it. For Jason's sake and the sake of her own sanity, she had to learn how to get along with everyone.

Brenda wasn't that much of a problem. Between L&B Records and her isolated elopement with Luis Alcazar, Brenda had enough on her plate that she didn't necessarily need extra conflict. She just enjoyed it a little bit where Carly were concerned. She was busy enough with her own life that she didn't have the time to try and run the wedding. Well… she either didn't have the time or she was avoiding the possibility of running into Jason or Lorenzo, both of whom had an opinion on she and Luis's elopement. Sometimes, Sam thought the latter was the most probable reasoning behind Brenda's busy schedule and lack of desire to lead.

Carly, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter. Beyond the fact that Carly had a dominating personality and absolutely nothing to do while The Cellar was being rebuilt, she and Brenda could just barely get along. The two women barely knew each other, had no reason to be at odds, but for whatever reason, any room they were in together slowly grew cold and tense. Their personalities clashed, and Carly wasn't one to let animosity go any easier than Brenda. Added to that was the animosity she and Sam shared. Though the last Port Charles mob war had given them a better understanding of each other's relationships, that didn't mean they were suddenly going to be friends. It just made it easier not to kill each other. But they put up with each other for Jason's sake. Neither woman was stupid enough to make him choose between them.

Sam looked down to her hand and sighed. The ring that graced her finger was heavy and no matter the light, always seemed to sparkle. Half the time, it still caught in her hair when she washed it. But, more than that, it was the promise that she had to get used to.

Sam would never claim to be anybody's good little girl, and she was nowhere near a virgin. She'd been in so many relationships over the years that she'd long ago lost count of all the men that had crossed her path. She lived a life of salvage and wrecks and had never once thought of herself ever getting married. She wasn't the type to settle down. She wasn't the type that a guy decided he wanted forever. She was usually just the one that most men had fun with before moving on and finding the girl they took home to Mom.

But, Jason… All of a sudden, Sam was the marrying type. She was the woman that this guy could take… Not to his mother, but to the people he was actually close with in this life. He integrated her into the family that he had made for himself, done all he could to make her comfortable. He'd worried her, he'd loved her, he'd trusted her. He'd basically done everything that an actual relationship entailed, and in the end, he'd put a massive diamond on her hand.

As always, Jason was gone when Sam crawled from the bed. Their night had been equally long, but he never failed to be out of bed by six or seven. If she didn't at least roll over by eight, she knew she wouldn't see him until well into the afternoon, if not later. The note that was left beside the bed was proof positive of that.

_Sam,_

_I'll be out late. Might not make it back before dark. If you need anything, Lorenzo is across the hall and Luis is downstairs._

_Jason_

Short and to the point, that was her fiancée. Sam pushed the covers to the foot of the bed, then finally swung her legs over the side. Most men would have gone into unnecessary details if they'd bothered to leave a note at all. But Jason Morgan stuck to the important things. When he would be home, who to go to in case of trouble, and who knew where to find him in case of emergency. Whenever he left for an extended period, Jason sent her to the same people. In the past, she might have gone to them. Considering that her only expected issues were Brenda and Carly maiming each other, she figured she would just handle it herself and leave _Los Alcazars_ out of it.

Sam took her time in the shower. Had she actually gotten a call from the diner, she would have moved quicker. Honestly, she wasn't that eager to plan the wedding. She would have preferred to just go to Vegas or something, but somehow, Carly had talked her into the big wedding. Something about publicly and spectacularly cementing her spot in that world, that circle, that life. Sam wasn't' sure exactly what the argument was but it had obviously been enough to get her to go along with it.

She was only minutes out of the shower when the doorbell rang. Groaning, Sam cinched her robe tightly around her waist. Rubbing a towel through her hair, she came down the stairs. The bell rang again and she called out, "Alright, I'm coming!" She groaned again, annoyed at whomever it was and completely sure that it wasn't any of the usual suspects.

If Carly and Brenda had gotten tired of waiting and come to the penthouse, they would have just let themselves in. Sam still wasn't sure just why Carly still had a key to the penthouse, and she kept forgetting to tell Jason to get it back from her. Were it either Alcazar, they, too would have let themselves in. The only other person it could have been was a guard, maybe Johnny, Lucky or Zander, but any of them would have called out and said who they were. That only left the unknown.

Sam threw her towel over her shoulder, then opened the door. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the UPS delivery guy in his crisp brown uniform. She wasn't expecting any packages, at least none that would have come by UPS. Frowning, she stuck her head out the door, peering around him, and looked across the hall. Johnny stood at the door and gave her a nod, which meant that whatever the package contained, it had already been checked out and it wasn't anything dangerous.

She stepped back and as she looked at the guy, he asked, "Are you Samantha McCall?" She nodded and he stuck out an electronic notepad. "I have a package for you. Could you sign here, please?"

She rose an eyebrow at him, but signed her name, anyway. She wasn't very girlie, but she was girl enough to l ove getting gifts. "Thanks," she muttered, taking the small brown box and stepping back inside the penthouse.

Sam closed the door behind her and walked across the room. She tossed the box onto the sofa, then fell down beside it. The box was smaller than a bread box but bigger than a jewelry box. If it were something small Jason had ordered, it would have had to be filled with peanuts. Then again, if Jason had ordered it, the package would have been for him.

She groaned and looked over the label. The return address was something in Miami, and last she could remember, she knew no one in Miami who would be sending her gifts. Sighing, she stood up and carried the box to the desk that sat beside the door. Using a letter opener, Sam cut the seal of tape, then groaned at the amount of foam peanuts she would have to sift through.

Finally, her hand touched something glass and round. Curious, she pulled it out of the box. Foam peanuts fell on either side of the box, but the second she got a good look at the top, she no longer cared about the mess. Her gift was a medium-sized snowglobe. She held it with both hands around the ball and shook it just enough for the glitter at the bottom to move. She brought the globe closer to her face, just enough to read the words etched into the side of the ship that perched inside. It was the S.S. Manuela.

The snowglobe instantly fell from her hands and shattered against the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Sam stood outside of the door at Kelly's and wondered if she could just call this whole thing off. There was no need for them to meet that day, especially since Sam was already over an hour late. The sheer fact that Brenda and Carly still waited for her inside said that something was amiss. The day had started off badly and it was only progressing in the same fashion.

Peering into the window, she could see the two women sitting off to the side. It looked as though everyone inside were trying to ignore them, a feat in and of itself considering that the two women were obviously in the middle of an argument. She could only imagine how the dispute had started and where it was at the current moment. At some point, Carly would no doubt scream about how Kelly's was owned by her family, so Brenda could get the hell out if she had such a problem with her. Sam wasn't sure what Brenda's retort would have been, but it would probably be something along the lines of being able to buy the place herself, if she wanted it, and she wouldn't need any help from her husband.

Sam could never figure out exactly why the two women hated each other so much. Neither was in a position to step on the other's toes. They each had their own Alcazar and whatever history was there between Jason and Brenda was long gone in his memory loss. For whatever reason, though, their personalities clashed more than Carly and Sam. Any truce the women settled upon was gone in less than an hour.

Her phone rang, and Sam jumped. Digging quickly into her pockets, she pulled out her cell and flipped it open. "Yeah?" She turned away from the window and sighed.

"Sam? It's Lucas. Um… are you anywhere near the diner?"

Sam's brow furrowed in confusion. "Lucas? What are you doing at Kelly's? Aren't you supposed to be in school or something?"

"It's Saturday, Sam." She didn't say anything and didn't turn around, but she could picture the confusion on Lucas's face. She was so out of it, she couldn't even think of what the days were, anymore. "My mom needed some help, so I volunteered. Right now, though? I need some help. They're about to tear the place apart."

Sam spun around, her eyes wide. "Dammit," she muttered. "I'm right outside, Lucas," she said as she flipped the phone closed and stuffed it back into her pocket.

She went inside, and stayed beside the door for a minute, watching the argument grow. Brenda and Carly were already standing, and whatever the argument was about, she couldn't tell. They were both screaming so loudly, at the same time, that their words had turned into a muddled mess. The only thing that was certain was that they were only moments away from a full on Mrs. Alcazar collision.

Sighing, Sam took one step forward. Her second step was quicker, and her next steps turned into a full out run. She came to a skidding halt behind Carly and grabbed her before she could swing her raised arm. "What is wrong with the two of you!"

Carly went rigid and Sam released her. Both women turned on her and at the same time asked, "Where have you been?" It was probably the first time in weeks that the two had agreed on anything. Brenda continued with, "You know I can't stand her. You were supposed to be here an hour ago."

Carly whipped a glare Brenda's way then turned back to Sam. "I hate her. Really, I do. But, seriously, where have you been? I was about two seconds from calling Lorenzo and having him find Jason. We called you, and you didn't answer."

"There was no need to find Jason," Brenda said with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, Luis already told me this morning that finding Jason was gonna be a task and a half. But, that's Carly for you, always ready to call her husband or Jason to fix a problem that wasn't that big of a thing."

"Not that big…" She shook her head. "What the hell is wrong with you? In case you don't remember, we were just in the middle of something major. Of course, you didn't exactly get hurt, as always, so your memory might not work as well as some others."

"Oh, boo hoo, your club was blown up. You got out, didn't you? And, Miss Pity Me, I was shot at, so don't tell me I wasn't there."

"You weren't shot at," Carly said with disgust, "Luis was shot at, and you just happened to be there."

"Both of you just shut up!" Carly and Brenda turned hastily to Sam, both confused, as though they hadn't just been questioning her minutes before. Sam could guess that this was where the previous conversation had taken a wrong turn. This was the reason that Lucas had to call her before they tore the diner apart.

"Jesus Christ!" Sam yelled. "Is it possible for the two of you to be adults for just once without someone around to act as a buffer? You two are grown women. Hell, you're both older than I am, so how about you start acting like it? There's no reason for the competition or any of the bullshit. You both have an Alcazar!"

"This has absolutely nothing to do with Lorenzo or Luis," Brenda told her. "Some people just don't get along well, and that would be the two of us."

Carly rolled her eyes. "No, the biggest issue here has always been than that she thinks the Quartermaines hung the stars and the moon, and I did them wrong. Well, I don't care what went on with her and Jason, or her and AJ. She…"

"I nothing! When did this turn into a Q argument? But, you do have a point. You put that family through hell and they didn't deserve it. You…"

"Stop it!" Sam shook her head and threw her hands in the air. "I can't handle this right now. I just…" She sighed. "Look, the two of you can go, do whatever, I don't care. Just get away from each other. Right now, I just need less noise than either of you are willing to give me."

Sam snatched a chair and sat down hard. Sure, it was hard dealing with Brenda and Carly, but usually, there were some bright spots. She had to admit that she enjoyed the fact that she, a woman that barely knew one woman and had previously been hated by the other, could now bring these two together and make them force a truce for a few hours at a time. She was the link between them, and that was definitely a first for Sam. She was the sane one of the group.

Now, though, after her unexpected package…

It was too much to handle, and Sam just wanted all of the noise and drama to go away. She probably would have called and cancelled had she not thought that planning this wedding would make her feel better. She needed to get her mind out of the past and into the future. She needed to focus her mind on something that would keep her thoughts away from what she interpreted as the meaning behind that snowglobe.

That the former co-owner of the S.S. Manuela was back in town.

That he was in town because of her.

That she just hadn't been good enough at hiding to keep him from finding her.

"Sam?" She looked up and the anger between Carly and Brenda had been put aside as they hovered on either side of her. Brenda asked, "What happened?"

Carly asked, "What's wrong? This is a wedding planning party, and at least the bride should be happy, even if we aren't."

Sam sighed and shook her head. She couldn't tell them. Either one would run right back to their husbands, and in Carly's case, she might run straight to Jason with the news. Sam didn't know for a fact that Manuel was there. It was just a feeling that she had, and until she knew for sure, she wasn't about to tell Jason. Manuel Ruiz was someone that was better off staying in her past. She'd just have to think of something else to tell Carly and Brenda, because there was no way she was telling either one of them this. It just wasn't safe… for anyone.


	4. Chapter 4

Her skirt was long and full, and it swept the floor and tangled around her legs. Her top was tight, its hem stopping half an inch above her belly button. The detached sleeves itched at their start, just below her bicep, and crinkled at the crook of her elbow. The shoes were slippery, and the heels kept getting caught beneath the hem of her skirt. All in all, it was a very inappropriate ensemble to be wearing behind a bar, and she was lucky that she only had to do a few minutes stand-in while Luke's temporary replacement took a break. 

Sam could have killed Luke. She knew this was the reason she didn't want to go into business with him. He ran off too often, and though he could always cajole his sister into taking over the blues club, the duty of running the Haunted Star fell onto her when he had a new scheme at which to play. All she knew about the current one was that it involved a hell of a lot of money. Apparently, Luke thought that was enough information.

"_Gotta run, babe. The Star is all yours. Take care of her, will ya?"_

The slightest message, and he was gone. Left on her voice mail, no less! The least he could have done was find her and tell her in person. Give her a chance to protest before the inevitable agreement. There was something about Luke Spencer that was just undeniable. She didn't know anyone who could say no to the man. Oh, they started out positively, but by the end, everyone was bowing to his will. She wasn't even sure that both of the Alcazars or Jason would have made it. They'd probably agree to something minor just to make him stop talking.

Sam's interest in the Star was purely financial. She would have been completely fine with salvaging the remnants and selling the thing off. Luke was the one that wanted the club. He wanted the prestige of having Port Charles's only gambling license. A whole lot of shit that she could have done without.

But, then again, it was nice to actually be doing something. Sam's little taste of management while temporarily running Luke's had reminded her of the days before she met Jason. Before she became a kept woman. Not that she minded, though. Sam rather enjoyed being able to come and go as she pleased. Yet, there was still something to be said for earning one's own living, making one's own name. It was only safe, when she considered the position she was in. Her revenue depending solely on Jason and their time together just wasn't enough insurance for her.

More than that, though, running the club helped her get her mind off of Manny. He was in town, though she hadn't seen him yet, and the idea scared her. Two days ago, she had cleaned the glass and water from the floor, erasing all traces of his little gift. She'd not spoken his name and definitely hadn't told Jason anything. There had been no more hint of Manny, but still she was worried. She was almost to the point of paranoia, waiting for him to pop up around ever corner, from behind every bush. She needed the distraction for her own sanity.

But still, occasionally slinging drinks at the Haunted Star while wearing an expensive gown did nothing for her mood.

"Vodka on the rocks," she said, passing glasses to a tray, "gin and tonic, green apple martini, and white wine." Sam pushed a stray lock of hair back and tucked it behind her ear. Her head turned and she was relieved to see the bartender only a few feet away. "You've got drinks," she called out to him. "Three drafts, a tequila sunrise, four shots of Jager, and a Liquid Cocaine. Go for it."

Sighing, Sam ducked out from behind the bar and slowly walked the floor. The casino was small, and the full capacity only improved to accentuate its size. It seemed as though there were more people than usual inside, but then again, she wasn't there often enough to know what the usual actually was. Sam enjoyed a good casino, sure, but being inside of her own held no thrill for her. What was the point of gambling when she was only taking her own money?

Sam shook her head and steeled her back. This wasn't a time to look weak, or as though she weren't paying attention. She was, in effect, the pit boss for the night, and she had to make sure everything was as it should have been. There was no cheating in her establishment, and anyone she caught would find one four-inch heel directly up his or her ass.

"Sam!" The call was just loud enough to be heard over the bustling roar of the gambling crowd. She turned as Lucky Spencer came towards her, running his hands through his hair. "Sam, is everything good in here?"

She looked at him curiously, then asked, "Did Jason send you? Because I really don't need a babysitter. The Star has security, and I really don't want a babysitter."

"No, Jason didn't send me." He groaned. The poor guy was probably getting really tired of being asked similar questions. More than likely, any time he showed up, he was always being asked if someone had sent him. "Lorenzo's here and I'm just checking things over before I bring them inside."

"Them?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Carly's with him?"

"Not likely. She's got Zander tied up at The Cellar. She's gonna be there to get that place back on its feet no matter what, and he's gotta be right there. Something about the people who blow up together…" He shook his head. "I don't know. She's crazy."

"Tell me something I don't know." Sam shrugged. "If it's not Carly, then who else is with him?"

"Just a business thing. Somebody he's done business with before. It's one of those, don't really want you in my house, so we'll do business in public, kinda things."

"And it lets people see them being friendly so if he disappears, he's got witnesses to say they weren't enemies? I'm not stupid Lucky. I know the routine."

He shrugged. "Not my business unless it deals with security. So, is the place clean?"

"If you mean no cops, then no. There aren't any cops. They don't come here." Sam sighed. "Whatever. Bring 'em in. But, don't let anything start, alright? Cops may not be here, but there are a lot of people around who either don't like Lorenzo, or don't trust him. Luckily, Jax isn't here tonight. If he mistook Lorenzo for Luis…"

"Yeah, I know. Been there, done that. And I've been there when it was actually Luis. No love lost." Lucky ran his hand through his hair again. "But, the boss doesn't like to be kept waiting, and saving his daughters from blowing up only carries so much weight. I think I lost about fifty pounds of that when I didn't catch 'em ditching school."

Sam nodded and watched Lucky until he was out of her site, then went back to patrolling the main casino floor. This was where all the action happened. The other decks were occupied, but their traffic was slow enough that she wasn't needed there. Just in case, though, she had her NEXTEL walkie attached to her waist. So far, there was nothing going on that needed her immediate attention. But it was early yet, and there were still indefinite days to go that she would find herself aboard the ship.

Sam had just started to think about how her new duties would affect her wedding planning and time with Jason when a stillness started to sweep over the crowd. The growing hush was enough to inform her that Lorenzo Alcazar and guest had stepped onto the casino floor. Sam swept her skirt with a flourish and made her way across the floor. She doubted Luke would meet people with dignity, but Sam was going to do her best to not be too much like Luke. Just the thought of it was scary enough.

Unfortunately, her dignity dropped to the floor the second she caught sight of them. Lorenzo was no problem. She'd seen him in too many states of existence to be affected by his presence, but his guest…

Manuel Ruiz was short and, with the exception of his bald head, covered in tattoos. Most of them were unseen by the white linen suit that he wore, but the designs, turned green by age, poured over his wrists and hands. His grin was even, and only the sparkle in her eyes showed that while he was pleased, he was definitely not surprised. She would imagine that he'd somehow found out that she would be there and had requested their public meeting be at the Haunted Star. In a way, of course, that seemed less enthusiastic and more agreeable to an idea that was already in Lorenzo's mind.

"Manny Ruiz," he said, "Sam McCall. Half-owner and current management of the Haunted Star."

"And, I hear, special someone to Jason Morgan." Manny extended his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Ms. McCall."

Manny's grin made Sam's skin crawl. She couldn't hide the hesitation with which she extended her hand. Sam spared a glance for Lorenzo, and saw the recognition on his face. She could only hope that he didn't question her about it later. She did, however, take Manny's hand, and almost cringed when he raised it to brush his lips over her knuckles.

"A definite pleasure," he said, his lips hovering over her skin. "Jason's a lucky man. A girl like you… A guy would be an idiot to let escape. He'd probably hunt you down if you ever left."

"Then, I guess it's a good thing that I don't plan to ever leave him, isn't it?" She took her hand back, trying to make the gesture look neutral. Sam looked up at Lorenzo and said, "I'll have a table cleared for you, and send a waitress your way. Drinks are, of course, on the house. Baccarat?"

Lorenzo nodded and Sam turned quickly. The less time spent near Manny, the better. Sam grabbed a waitress, sent her to Lorenzo and Manny, then hurried to clear a table towards the back of the room. Business, she thought. Think of business and the task at hand.

But it was hard, because she still felt Manny hovering over her hand. She still felt his eyes piercing her. And she saw his teasing grin. Oh yeah, he'd known that she would be at the Star that night. He wanted her to know just how close he was to her and how easily he could get to her, now that he had found her. And Sam had to figure out what the hell to do next. Before Manny blew the whistle… or worse.


	5. Chapter 5

Somehow, some way, Sam made it through the evening. Manny hadn't said a word to her beyond their first encounter, which was both a blessing and a curse. But she considered it luck that he seemingly hadn't said anything or let on that he'd known her before during the course of his conversation with Lorenzo.

Deep down, however, she knew there would be more to it than that. She knew that Manny Ruiz wasn't going to just let anything go. His implications about Jason were enough to make Sam afraid. What would he do to Jason? Would he bring a war down on his head with the Alcazars by killing him? Did he just want Sam to run, again? If he couldn't have her, no one could?

She shook her head and begged for answers. But, did God really listen to the requests of gangster's molls? Probably not. There were other, more saintly people that he could listen to, and if there were one thing that Sam McCall most definitely was not, it was a saint.

Maybe she should have said something to Lorenzo. He would know what to do, mostly because he always knew what to do. That's why he was the brains in the business. He knew how to handle any situation that arose, and usually in a way that required the least amount of bloodshed. Luis's answer was always to just kill the offending party and get it over with. Granted, that might be a useful tactic against Manny, but one war in that year was plenty.

But, she couldn't go to Lorenzo, because she didn't have any proof. Beyond the fact that she didn't want her connections with Manny known, she just didn't have anything other than a bad feeling and a broken snowglobe that was already thrown into the trash. She didn't know Lorenzo Alcazar well enough to think that he would take her side in any manner, let alone one that could affect his business.

And that left Sam where she used to be all the time… on her own. There was a time when she would have enjoyed that. Before Jason, she didn't need to run to anyone. She didn't want to run to anyone for help. She was self-sufficient, thanks to the horrible tutelage and parentage of Cody McCall. She may have appreciated help more, these days, but she knew how to work without it.

And that meant she had to talk to Manny.

Hands touched her shoulders and Sam jumped. Turning, she found that she didn't need to be afraid, but if it weren't Jason standing behind her, what would she have done? What if Manny had made his way back to the Haunted Star after parting company with Lorenzo? She was in evening wear, and it left no room for knives or guns. She'd have just been at his mercy, a place she'd been more than once.

Jason looked down at her with concern. His crystal blue eyes were jaded with worry. "Are you alright? Did something happen?"

Sam shook her head. At some point in the night, she had pulled her hair up and locked it in place with a stash of pins she got off one of the dealers. Sometime during that and her frightened spin, however, it had come undone. Her hair slapped her face and she shoved it back quickly, her hands shaking with the motion.

"No, I'm just… I'm tired. It's been a very long night."

"So, I heard." Sam looked up at him curiously and he said, "I was told that Lorenzo and Manny came by here. It wasn't too much work for you, was it?"

Sam's throat was dry, and she had to convulse the muscles twice to get some sort of lubrication to slide up and down her throat. Almost with a twitching motion, she pushed her hair back again, even though none had fallen forward. "I, um, I left it for someone else to do." She shook her head. "Just the normal hostess duties." Sam shrugged. "There were a lot of people here, and I'm not used to it, so…"

"So, you ran yourself ragged, when you could have just hired someone else to host this place until Luke gets back." Jason let out a heavy breath and brushed his fingertips down Sam's cheek. "I know you want something that's your own, Sam. Something that's not just 'us,' but you need to pace yourself. You'll end up in the hospital this way."

He was right, and she knew it. Between the wedding and the Star, she was going to drive herself crazy. She could have probably done a better job of delegating, and after tonight, she was going to definitely be delegating the Haunted Star. The hell with running herself to exhaustion. She didn't have a good enough excuse to have Jason put someone on the Star as security, and aboard a ship in the middle of the night was not somewhere she wanted to be alone with Manny roaming the town.

With a sigh, Sam moved into Jason. Automatically, his arms wrapped around her. She pressed her head against his chest and took in the smell of him. When he'd left the penthouse that morning, he had smelled of Drakkar Noir. The only reason she knew the scent specifically was because she had been the one to buy it for him. Now, though, after a day of work, the cologne was still on him, but above it were the smells of sweat and gunpowder. He'd been up to something, and the only way she'd know any details were if it involved her.

Sam didn't care, though. She hadn't wanted to know the details of his business, and nothing was going to change that. She'd had enough of being in the middle of that kind of thing that she was happy with living oblivious to the details. But, more than that, she didn't care because he was holding her.

With thoughts of Manny weighing on her, Jason's arms around her tiny shoulders made her comfortable. She was at peace when Jason was near. She was at home within his embrace. She was calm and safe with his touch. For the little while that they were together like this, she could forget about Manny, but she knew it wouldn't last forever. There was too much danger involved.

"You'd tell me if there were something wrong, wouldn't you?" Sam looked up as Jason spoke. He brushed her hair back, then slid his fingers in at her scalp. "You'd let me help you."

"Jason…"

"I'm going to let it go for now, Sam, but I know when something's not right. You've been strange the past couple of days. Carly and Brenda told me…"

"Carly and Brenda have no business telling you anything." Sam closed her eyes and let out a heavy breath. Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at Jason. "The two of them together bother me, you know that. Besides, I'm planning a wedding. I'm gonna be off my game a little. It's a lot to do."

"We could have just gotten somebody to come in and do the ceremony at the penthouse. This big thing was your idea, remember?"

"Yeah, because I wanted to see you in a tuxedo." Sam winked at him, then sighed. "I'm fine, Jason. Forget what Carly and Brenda said. They don't know me, so they can't judge me."

"No one's judging you, Sam, and this isn't just about what they told me. This is about what I see." He took his hand from her hair and pressed his palm lightly against her face, his fingers pointing up and the butt of his palm resting against her chin. "I see you worrying about something. I see something waking you up in the middle of the night, and you won't talk to me about it. When you're ready, Sam, you can talk to me. I thought you knew that by now."

"I do. I mean, I know." Sam shook her head. "I just… Some things I can handle on my own. There are just some things that I don't want you to worry about, and this is one of them." There were also things that she didn't want him to know about, and this was one of them. "I love you, Jason."

"I love you, too."

"Then, just let it go, alright? Just… Just hold me now, okay? That's all I need right now. That's what'll make it all go away right now. You holding me." She pressed herself against him again and held him tightly. "Just hold me," she whispered.

Jason wrapped his arms around her, but she could feel the hesitation in him. She'd spent so much time telling the Quartermaines that Jason wasn't stupid, she felt horrible for pretending that he was stupid enough to not notice there was something wrong. But, she couldn't tell him. She had to deal with Manny on her own. Sure, Jason could kill him and get rid of the body. He'd done away with Corinthos, and even though the body had been in plain view, he'd escaped prosecution. She had no doubt that he could get away with killing Manny.

But, the question was… Could he still love her if he knew the whole sordid history of her and Manny together?


	6. Chapter 6

_**Present…**_

"There are things in my life that I'd rather forget," Sam said, "and even more things that I never wanted Jason to have to know." She twisted her hands in front of her and sighed. "Alexis got him away from the cops, but they're looking into this, and I know Javier. He's going to come to find out what happened. And yeah, I probably should have just let Jason handle it, but then he'd have to know. But now, he has to know anyway, right? And all of you. And you'll probably tell Jason that I'm no good for him, and he'll believe you, because he trusts you. He loves you like a brother. If you say I go, then I go."

Sam looked up, then instantly lowered her head. She felt like she were in a scene from a Puzo novel. She wasn't in a den, but the darkened living room of Lorenzo's penthouse was close enough. Lorenzo sat in a large, black leather chair, right leg crossed over the left. His arms laid easily on either armrest. His right hand held a glass of Scotch. He'd offered her a drink, but she couldn't take it. Sam's hands shook so bad that she probably would have dropped the glass.

Luis stood behind him, eyes dark and face formed of blank lines that gave nothing away. His left hand rested on the back of his twin's chair. His right hand was shoved into the pocket of his tailored pants. He was a mirror image of Lorenzo, save for the shorter hair, and it unnerved her. They both gave her the same serious glare and unreadable face.

Lorenzo took small drink from his glass, let it roll around in his mouth, then swallowed. He kept his eyes on Sam, and she wished he would turn away. Right then, feeling like she was coming to the Don for a favor, she wished that he would look up at his brother. Anything to get his attention off of her.

"What are you asking me to do, Sam?"

Lorenzo's voice came so suddenly that it took Sam by surprise. She had half expected him to just sit there and stare at her until she walked out of the room. "I don't know what I'm asking," she said in a shaky voice. "I just… I don't know."

Sam turned around and stared at the mantle behind her. There were pictures of both Alcazars, and all the people who meant anything to them. Carly, Sofie and Sage, Brenda, Michael, and then there was Jason. He probably hadn't understood the need to take the picture. Sam remembered him telling her that there was nothing to a picture for him. It was just something pretty to look at, but it held nothing real. But for Lorenzo, it obviously meant something. His arm hanging over Jason's shoulders, grinning into the camera, the picture was special enough to him that it was right between a picture of his wife and daughters and one of him and Luis.

"I was all messed up when I met Manny. I mean, I've done a lot of things that I shouldn't have done. I've done drugs, I've stolen, I've been a prostitute—A lot of really screwed up stuff, ya know? And Jason knows about most of it, he just doesn't care. When I met Manny, though, I was so strung out, and he straightened me out, so I thought it was a good thing, ya know?" Sam scoffed. "Yeah, it was fantastic."

Sam took in a deep breath and closed her eyes as she exhaled. If the story was hard to think about, it was even harder to tell. To actually say aloud all the things that she did with Manny, the things that he did to her.

"See, I thought he'd cleaned me up, but he'd pretty much gotten me strung out on something else. On whatever he wanted to dish out." Her eyes opened slowly, and she turned once again to Luis and Lorenzo. "I've taken a lot from a lot of people, but with Manny—I don't know. I mean, I figured he knew what was right. He'd helped me, ya know? He got me cleaned up, he took me down to South America, he even got me a ship. Strung out, you're worth nothing on a ship. Clean, I was the best. He picked up the S.S. Manuela for me, and I took that thing everywhere."

"I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with Jason?" Luis put his other hand in his pocket, bumped Lorenzo's arm until he moved. He sat down on the arm of the chair. "Fascinating story, but considering we've got to say something to Ruiz when he comes looking for his brother, and Jason's been brought in for questioning, we need to fast forward."

"I'm getting to that alright?"

Lorenzo put a hand on his brother's leg and shook his head. They seemed to have an entire conversation in the few seconds before he looked to Sam, and she didn't have a clue as to what was said. Lorenzo nodded towards her and said, "I realize this is hard. Ignore my brother. He gets impatient." He nodded again. "Go on."

Another deep breath, and Sam thought she was ready. "I found out…" When her words faltered, she realized she wasn't ready after all. "Ya know, maybe I will take that drink."

Both men were still until Lorenzo pushed Luis off of the arm. "What? It's your house." Lorenzo just stared at him and muttered under his breath. But he poured the drink. "I thought you were a former addict. Should you even be drinking?"

Sam sighed. "That's part of the story, and I can drink just fine. I've been doing it for years since Manny, so I think I can have one." She shook her head. "I know you don't like me, Luis…"

"I don't know you to like you. Lorenzo has vouched for you in the past, which has been good enough. But, now you bring us this story." He handed her the glass, then retook his perch beside his brother. "These are all things that we should have known when you first knew that Manny was in town. Not after you've already killed him."

So blunt and matter of fact. Luis was the reason that Sam had almost turned and left when she came into the penthouse. She may not have been particularly close to either Alcazar, but Lorenzo was easier to talk to. He had a more sympathetic side to him. He felt more human. Luis apparently only showed his humanity to a select few, and Sam was not one of the chosen few.

Sam gulped down half of the bourbon, and a few lines dropped down her chin. She wiped her mouth, then gulped down the other half. She closed her eyes and waited for the warmth to wash over her. She would need a few more drinks to gain a drunken calm, but one should have at least been enough to get through the story.

"This isn't the first time I've gone after Manny, it's just the first time that I actually got him." Sam sighed. "I let him do a lot to me. All of his dirty, perverted fantasies…" Sam shuddered. "I just let him do it. Even though it hurt, and some of it was sick, I let him. Until I found out the truth."

She paused and Lorenzo nudged her on. "And that was?"

"He was the reason I was strung out in the first place. He'd seen me on an island and decided then and there that he wanted me. So, he paid people to get me messed up, so he could run to the rescue and save me." She let out a harsh bark of a laugh. "My great rescuer. Well, I let him know I wasn't doing it. I wasn't playing his game anymore.

"I wanted to kill him and I tried. But, he started talking and before I knew it, he had taken the gun from me and the shit he did with that gun—" She stopped and her head tilted slightly to the side as she bit back the painful memories. "Let's just say that the second I was able to walk without pain, I took Manuela and we were gone. I scuttled her, and then I just ran. I ran so long that honestly, I'd put him out of my head. I'd put him behind this wall, and it was only when he showed up did I let it all back up."

"So, why didn't you tell Jason when you first knew he was in town?" Luis asked. "Why didn't you tell us so we could take care of this before it go to so far."

"And have Jason know how dirty I was? Tainted goods is one thing. I'm so spoiled there's no name for it. And ya know, I thought maybe Manny would just go away for a while. I thought he'd realize it wasn't worth it. But, he was going to kill Jason. He wouldn't care about the war he'd cause. He'd kill Jason, and then he'd kill me for leaving him. Yeah, he'd work his magic, do his thing, but then he'd kill me. I couldn't let that happen, and since it was my fault, I had to take care of him."

"So, you shot him."

"Yeah, but I didn't leave the gun. I used one of Jason's non-registered guns so it wouldn't come back around to him, and I weighed him down when I threw him in the harbor. I didn't know the fish in the harbor would chew through the ropes. I didn't even know they had teeth. Manny was just supposed to disappear. That's all. Just disappear like always, because he's disappeared so many times that Javier wouldn't care."

"But now there's a body." Lorenzo pushed himself up and paced the floor slowly. He finished off his drink and set it on the bar, then began his pacing again. He stopped to share another long, conversational look with Luis, then paced again. Finally, he turned to Sam and said, "You need to tell Jason this."

"I can't! He wouldn't want anything to do with me!"

"If you think that, then you don't know him as well as you think. Jason won't judge you for things you had no control over. His job is to cover these things up, and he needs to know the entire story. You need to tell him, and then we'll proceed from there."

"You're the fixers. You two are the ones that take care of things like this."

"We delegate," Luis said with a smirk. "We delegate to Jason."

"Great." She rolled her eyes. "But, I'm not telling Alexis. She knows I killed Manny, that I knew him before, but that's all she needs to know. Jason may not judge, but Alexis does. There are enough people around who think low of me, I don't need another."

"Alexis doesn't think low of you," Lorenzo told her.

"Yes, she does. And so do all of you." The glass was still in her hand. Sam crossed to the bar and slammed it down. "You all think I'm less because I don't prance around in Prada and Gucci. I'm a lower class, somehow, but that's fine. Whatever. But Jason-- I don't want him to hate me over this."

"He's not going to hate you, Sam. He's just going to wish that you had let him take care of it. It's his job."

"But, it shouldn't be. His job should be to love me, not to protect me from every bad mistake I've ever made in my life. I wasn't going to let him do that. And I sure as hell wasn't going to let Manny kill him. I'd have let him kill me first."

Lorenzo turned to her, ready to speak, but it was Luis who got the words out first. "And that is why we're handling this situation at all, instead of having you over to Javier Ruiz on a silver platter."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Two days prior…**_

The gun was a heavy weight in her pocket. Her gloved fingers tapped the side of the barrel for strength. The last time she'd held a gun on Manny Ruiz, she'd found herself recuperating for weeks. This time, she didn't think there would be any healing time needed. If she pulled the gun and didn't pull the trigger, she would be dead. End of story.

Maybe she should have just told Jason. He would have taken care of this. That's what he did. He cleaned up other people's messes, and if this weren't a mess, Sam didn't know what to call it. But, he wasn't supposed to have to clean up her messes. At least, she wasn't supposed to ask him to do it. He took it upon himself to keep her as clean as possible. She wasn't going to go to him and ask him.

Standing in a dark alley, though, waiting for a real life boogeyman to come, Sam was starting to think that maybe she'd picked the wrong time to be independent. Manny wasn't someone to trifle with. He wasn't someone who forgave easily, and he sure as hell wasn't someone who could be expected to do what was expected of him. She'd probably liken him to Luis Alcazar, strong and willful and demanding, but a sadistic version of him. Lorenzo couldn't talk Luis out of something anymore than Javier could talk Manny out of things.

"_Hola, chica._" At his voice, Sam jumped. Her back was to the alley wall, so she knew he wasn't behind her, but his voice came from all around her. It bounced off of the walls and slammed into her body. "Seems like I'm following you, again."

Yeah, that had been a great idea. Leave a note that actually encouraged him to walk behind her. That was probably her first mistake. With as distracted and nervous as Sam was, Manny could have run up and grabbed her from behind. What would she have done then? Probably cried.

"You've got me here to talk, so talk. What do you want from me, Manny? Just to play games?"

For weeks, he'd been sending her special little gifts. A picture of the two of them aboard the S.S. Manuela. A replica of the ring that he'd given her a few months into the relationship, the same ring that she had tossed into the ocean as she sailed away from him. A picture of Jason with the eyes shot out. A picture of herself covered in red stains, strategically placed to show her that they represented blood. A note that read, "You were mine before, and you'll be mine again." Yeah, gifts from Manny had grown progressively more heartwarming and vomit-inducing.

"Do you know how long it took me to find you, Samantha?" Manny moved into the lights that shone down from high above the alley streets, bouncing off of his bald head. She could see every tattoo and the light made the rings in his ears shine. His eyes seemed darker in the pale flourescent glow. "Who knew that I'd find you with my old business partners?"

"If I'd have known that you had anything to do with Port Charles, I wouldn't have come here."

"Do you really think that?" He moved closer still. Sam wrapped her hand around the barrel of the gun, then moved it back to wrap around the butt. "Oh, you may not have known when you arrived, but you knew the name Alcazar."

"I never paid that much attention to your business, Manny. And obviously they didn't pay much attention to your personal life. But, then again, you were pretty good at hiding me away. I guess you had to with what you did to me. Couldn't let anyone but Javier see the evidence."

She had more strength and conviction than she thought she would have had. Sam figured it was because of the gun. She had a weapon with her, and it was solid against her hand. It was something to rally around, because without it, she didn't have much of anything. Well, she had an image of Jason in her mind, but she was pretty sure that it wasn't going to suddenly materialize into the real thing and save her ass.

"Oh, _chica_, you know me better than that." He was only a few feet away from her. Manny stretched out his hand and Sam backed up until her back collided with the wall. "Not even Javier knew exactly how much fun we had."

"I- I don't do that kinda f-fun anymore." He was too close for her strength to last much longer. Manny laughed at the stuttering of her words and Sam gulped hard. She wanted to close her eyes, breathe deeply and control herself, but she couldn't stop looking at him. If she gave him even the slightest bit of leverage, she was done for. "Go away, Manny. Just, leave Port Charles and act like you never knew I was here."

"You know I can't do that, Samantha. My sweet little toy. You know I can't leave you here. You have to come with me."

"Jason will never let you take me."

"Do you think I'm afraid of Morgan?" There was that laugh again and it made Sam's skin crawl. It also made her stomach twist into painful knots. "I'm willing to bet that he doesn't even know about us. You wouldn't tell him this, would you, _chica_? Don't want your precious Jason to know what a dirty little flower you are."

"I'm not dirty." Even to her own ears, it sounded weak and unconvincing. Because it was weak and unconvincing. With Manny talking to her, trying to get closer to her, she felt disgusting. She felt unworthy. It didn't matter that Jason had spent most of the last ten years as a mob enforcer. It didn't matter that he killed people when ordered to do so. He was still too good for her. She was still nothing more than Manny's dirty, whore of a slave. "I'm not dirty," she said again, just as weakly.

"Listen to yourself. You don't believe it anymore than he would. And even if he did believe it, what do you think he would do? Come after me? Who do you think would win? He may be fighting for love, but I'm fighting for possession and sheer pleasure. Who do you really think would win?"

Jason would be distracted. He would be so angry about what Manny had done to her, that he'd spoiled her and turned her into nothing, that he wouldn't concentrate. Then she would be left to explain to the Alcazars, including Carly and her children, why Jason was gone. Why Jason was laying dead in the same harbor that he had earlier dumped Sonny Corinthos into.

Gritting her teeth, Sam pulled the gun from her pocket. She gripped the butt of the gun with both hands. Manny laughed at her, and she held the gun tighter. "Get away from me, Manny, or I swear to God, I'll kill you."

"You know what I think? I think we've played this game before, and you may not have enjoyed it, but I thought it was really fun."

There it was. That look of Satan that appeared on Manny's face before he did something that would hurt. A look of pure evil, excitement over the idea of torturing her. Would he cut a whole in her thigh and stick his finger in it like before? Or would he just cut her and put salt on it? He wanted to hear her scream, and maybe, with that look of evil in his glazed eyes, he was already hearing it.

Sam pulled the hammer back on the gun. Unnecessary yes, but good for effect. "It ends different this time, Manny."

"I don't think so." He moved forward so fast that Sam didn't even see him. From light to the shadows. He grabbed the silencer on the gun and pulled it in until it touched his throat. The gun vibrated with his words. "I think that I'll take this pretty little gun and play. And then I'll make you lick the tip before I cut out your spiteful tongue."

Sam gulped hard. "I'll pull the trigger, Manny. I swear." Her voice shook. Her body trembled. But she didn't loosen her grip on the gun. "I'll kill you, Manny."

"No, you won't."

Sam took in a deep breath and held it as Manny reached out with his other hand. He was coming too close to her face. All it would take was one hard slap to rattle her and the gun would be gone from her hands. She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let him put that gun—

Sam pulled the trigger twice, a double tap of the loose trigger that brought blood splattering against her face. Manny stumbled backwards, gurgling and sputtering. He wouldn't fall. Sam rose the gun slightly higher and fired again. The bullet took him in the face, in his cheek. She was off center.

Manny fell, though, and Sam rushed to stand over him. With three bullets in him, he was still trying to talk, still trying to reach for her. She looked down at him, and it had to be finished. Manny was too good at escaping death. He would find some way to survive this, and then he'd hurt her worse than he'd ever done before. And he was sadistic enough to make Jason watch it all before killing her.

Sam knelt over him, pressed the gun to his forehead and pulled the trigger.

Manny was still. He wasn't going to get up, like something out of a horror movie. His brains were splattered all over the alley. His blood covered her face, coat and gloves. This was a mess that she had neither expected nor wanted, and it was a mess that she had to clean up. She had to get rid of his body before someone found him. Before someone stumbled upon them.

But first, she went to the corner and threw up.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Present…**_

Sam walked in, and Jason was sitting on the sofa. "What—" She shook her head and took in a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Alexis got me off the hook." Jason didn't get up, but he kept his eyes trained on her. "Any time anybody dies in this city, they drag me in. I think they're still trying to get me for Corinthos, so Lansing will take whatever he can get."

"But, there's no proof." Sam gulped. "No proof that you did Corinthos, or Manny."

Jason was staring, and it wasn't a lustful stare, or even a longing stare. He was trying to figure her out, and it made her anxious. She hadn't gone in to talk to him while in police custody because he would have stared at her like that. The police station wasn't the place to admit what she had done. Whether someone overheard and took her into custody or not, Sam thought she knew Jason well enough to have an idea of what he would have done. He'd have taken the wrap for her.

"What do you know about this, Sam?"

"Jason—"

"Don't give me that, Sam. I know something's wrong. I saw you outside of the interrogation room at the PCPD, and you were nervous. Talking to Alexis, you were even more nervous. Then, I get home, and Lorenzo tells me that you talked to him and Luis? What could you possibly have to say to either of them that you're afraid to tell me?"

When she left the Alcazar penthouse, Sam had walked the streets. Wandering aimlessly, she found herself standing at the entrance to the alley. The alley where Manny had breathed his last breath. It was a wonder that no one had ever seen her there. She'd scrubbed the ground as much as possible before covering the spot where the blood had pooled with a sinking whole of oil. _What? Of course, no one died here. The car just leaked, and I'm gonna get that checked out as soon as I get home._ A faulty excuse if Sam had ever come up with one, but luckily, she never had to use it.

"You killed Manny, didn't you?"

Sam's eyes went wide. "Lorenzo told you. Dammit, I knew I shouldn't have gone to them. I shouldn't have done anything. I should've just—"

"Lorenzo didn't tell me anything. Neither did Luis. But, I know that look on your face, Sam. You look guilty, and you look afraid. So, what you need to do now is tell me why you killed him, and why I shouldn't be angry that you did something like this."

Sam opened her mouth, then slapped it shut. She could have easily gone the argument route. Why did he get to kill without her being angry, but she kills one asshole who deserved it, and he was ready to scream at her? Of course, she knew there was a difference. She didn't have permission to kill anyone. And this was a man with a brother who would come after them. It was a lot more dangerous for Sam to kill someone than it was the trained hitman. Jason wouldn't have let the body float to the top of the river.

So, what did she tell him? The truth? Sam sighed. If she didn't tell him, Lorenzo or Luis would tell him. When she lied, Jason would see through it, and he would leave. He would walk out, and expect her to be gone by the time he came back. Then, he would go to Lorenzo, and his best friend would tell him the truth, and by the time that Jason managed to find Sam to talk to her about it, Javier would have already killed her for killing his brother.

No, Sam wasn't a worst-case scenario girl, at all.

Sam crossed the room and wished that they had an open bar sitting out on display like Lorenzo did. She could have really used a drink. "We need a bar," she muttered as she walked to the fireplace. She stopped and turned. "I knew Manny," she said. "Back before I ever came here, I knew him. And he—He knew that I was here. He knew exactly what he was doing when he came to Port Charles. He was going to kill you, and he was going to make me watch. And when he was done with me, he'd have killed me, too."

"I need more than that, Sam. I need to know why you think all of this."

"No! I know!" She pointed at him, her arm shaking with the tension that filled it. "I know, do you understand me! After all that he did to me, I know! He would have never forgiven me for what I did, and I had to make sure that you didn't die!"

"Sam—" Jason walked to her and she put her hands out. She shook her head and he let out a heavy breath. "Tell me what he did to you."

Sam stared at him, and she let the anger be what pushed her to speak. To tell him every disgusting and depraved thing that Manny had ever done to her. And as she spoke, she watched Jason's face. His emotions ranged from pity to rage. In a split second, he went from wanting to hold her to wanting to kill. His ice blue eyes grew even colder with every detail. His body tightened with each thing she said, from the drugs in the beginning to the final act that freed her from him. And when she recounted how he died, the bullet in his throat, the vomiting afterwards—He went right back to pity.

"Sam, you should have—"

"What? Told you? Why would I do that, Jason? Why would I tell you what I'd done?"

"I don't understand why you were afraid to tell me. Did you think I'd turn you in after you killed him? You have to know that I wouldn't do that?"

"God, Jason." Sam laughed bitterly, but it came out choked as she began to cry. "By the time I did it, I was more afraid that you would go down for me if the cops came sniffing around me. As it is, Alexis already knows I did it, and I'm pretty sure she's keeping it a secret that I even knew Manny. But, before…" She shook her head and wiped tears from her cheeks. "I was afraid that you'd leave me. That I'd be dirty, and you wouldn't want me."

"Sam…" Jason sighed and walked to her. She kept her hands up, but that didn't stop him. He wrapped his arms around her and held on, even when she fought to get loose. "I love you, and anything you did—This isn't something that you did, Sam. It's something that was done to you. You can't help what a sick bastard like Manny did."

"He deserved to die, Jason." Sam looked up at him through blurred eyes. "He deserved to die before he killed us. If I'd just killed him the first time—"

"Right now, we have to figure out what to do." Jason walked her to the sofa and sat down, pulling her into his lap. Sam curled up against him, her head resting against his chest. "What did Lorenzo say?"

"Well… Luis said that they were handling Javier, but if Manny told him that I was here, he'll put two and two together. Javier is like—" She tried to come up with some kind of analogy and the best she could manage was, "…Lorenzo to Manny's Luis. He's the calm one, the sensible one, ya know? Javier actually thinks and if he thinks about this, he'll know that I did it."

"Actually, Javier probably won't even think you did it. Even if he knows you're here, he'll probably think I did it. That's where the problem's going to come in." Jason sighed. Absently, he stroke Sam's hair as he thought. "You should have let me do it, Sam. This is my job. I'm supposed to keep you safe."

"I couldn't, Jason. You do everything in the world for me, and I just—what? I sit here and let you do it. This was my chance to do something for you. And yeah, I screwed it up all over the place. Maybe you'd have been better off if I never came to Port Charles."

"Don't say that." Jason kissed her forehead and pressed his hand to her cheek. "I'm glad you came here, and I'm glad that you let me take care of you. You just have to let me do it when it matters." He kissed her again, then sighed. "Right now, though, we need to meet with Lorenzo and Luis. Alexis can handle Lansing, but it's up to Lorenzo and Luis to handle Javier."

"Do you really think they can get me off the hook?"

"It's what they do. They handle the diplomatic side, and I do the rest. And you—" Jason looked down at her and gave a small smile. "—you stop killing people, and let me do my job. I'm better at it than you are."


	9. Chapter 9

When she entered the penthouse, Sam's first thought was that Lorenzo and Luis had changed their minds. They were going to hand her over to Javier and let him do what he wanted with her. But, Jason was standing behind Lorenzo, and he looked too calm for that to be the case. She may have been worried about Jason's reaction to everything that happened with Manny, but she didn't think that he would actually stand there stone-faced while his bosses handed her over for murder or torture.

What, then, was going on? Carly and the girls were gone, leaving only the Alcazar men, Jason, Javier and one of his guards in the penthouse. Sam felt very out of place as she walked through the collective of men. This was a business dealing, and she had no place in there.

She was also uncomfortable with Javier staring at her. He had to know the truth. He probably knew in the first place, but Sam's appearance made it all the more true. Sam McCall had murdered his brother. She guessed she could understand the hatred that bore holes into her. Whether Manny deserved it or not, he had still been Javier's brother. Sam would feel the same about her own family, and figured that either Luis or Lorenzo would feel the same, as well. Hell, Jason might even feel the same way about AJ were something to happen to him.

"Jason?" Sam looked to him, trying to keep her focus on him. To look at anyone else would increase the fear that surged over her upon stepping foot through the door. "What's going on?"

Jason didn't say anything. He only put a hand forward, waiting for her to take his hand. Sam reached out to him tentatively. Jason's fingers curled around her hand and he pulled her towards him. She looked up in his eyes, but couldn't find any answers.

Jason turned her around until her back was against him. He kept his arm folded around her, and only when she was caught in his vice grip did she realize that it was his left hand that he had given to her. His free hand was clear in case he had to pull a gun.

After that, Sam took in the positions of everyone else. Though Jason stood just behind Lorenzo, he wasn't completely behind him. He stood to his left, and he would have a clear shot at Javier and his guard if it were necessary. Luis stood off to the side, towards the stairs that led up to the bedroom, and upon noticing him did Sam see that they weren't as alone in the room as she thought. Standing at the top of stairs, arms folded, Zander Smith had a clear shot across the room. Sam started to turn back to Javier, and something off to the side caught her eye. Lucky Spencer was standing in the dark entranceway that led to the kitchen. The Alcazars had all of the leverage in this situation.

Was that good or bad? Sam guessed that it was good in that, if anything happened, they would more than likely be the ones left standing. However, they obviously had something to say that wasn't going to go over well. The fact that something could happen, made it a little less good and a lot more bad.

"This is as far as you will be coming to Sam McCall," Lorenzo said. His voice was low, but in the silent penthouse, it sounded like a boom breaking through the quiet.

"She murdered my brother," Javier said. "It's within my right to ask for her life in return."

"Your brother entered my territory with less than noble intentions, Javier. He stalked, harrassed and threatened the fiancee of not only our right hand, but my friend. Your brother made his own life forfeit."

"And if I choose to take my vengeance? Morgan can't hold onto her forever."

"I can—" Jason stopped speaking as Lorenzo turned to him. Sam looked up at Jason, and his eyes were icy with hatred. Lorenzo said nothing to him, only looked, but the look was enough. Sam watched as Jason's eyes slowly thawed until he was a blank mask again.

Lorenzo turned back to Javier. "Know that the second you lay a hand on Ms. McCall, your life will be forfeit. And once you're gone, the Alcazar family will seize hold of all of your assets. My brother will take control of your businesses until we find someone suitable to take your place, and your family will be penniless."

"Is it worth it, Javier?" Luis took a step forward, and when he moved, so did Lucky and Zander. "You knew what your brother was doing all along. You may have tried to deny it, but you knew. You also knew that someone, some day, would make him pay. Is your life really worth what you should have probably done yourself?"

"I would have never killed my own brother."

"So you say. However, were we to have Ms. McCall detail for you the things that transpired while in your brother's less than loving care, you just might change your mind. I would hate to have to put her through that, but—"

"No!" Javier raised his hands and shook his head. "I don't want to hear any of it."

Sam watched his face, watched the guilt and anger ride his features. Sure, Javier knew everything. It would have been impossible for him not to know. He had to cover Manny's tracks, after all. He knew, but he didn't want to hear. And even though Sam didn't want to say it again, she almost did, just to see Javier's reaction. Just to give him the mental image of those years that she would always have with her.

Finally, Javier let his hands drop and sighed. "Fine. You win. I'll take no revenge against her, but know that this severely damages business between our families."

"Don't worry, Javier," Luis said with a smirk, "there are plenty other, more reputable families to take your place. Our work is done."

Luis turned as though he had nothing else to say. He took the long way around the room, passing behind Jason and Lorenzo, around Javier, to get to the door. Zander followed him. Lucky took the short route and was already at the door, holding it open as Luis walked out. Zander followed, then Lucky, and then the door closed.

Sam jumped as the door shut, but no one else moved. The air in the room was thick, almost choking. Sam wanted to walk around, stretch her legs, but Jason had a tight grip on her. He wasn't letting her go until Javier was gone.

"We have nothing more to say." Lorenzo shoved his hands into his pockets. "You may leave now, Javier. And I hope that the next time you or someone of your family comes to Port Charles, we don't have anything as messy as this."

With his dismissal, Javier and his guard left without anymore words. When the door closed behind him, Jason loosened his grip on Sam. He didn't let her go completely, but as his body relaxed, the tension in his arm left, as well. "Lorenzo…" He turned to him and Jason said, "Thanks."

Lorenzo shook his head. "What Manuel did… I would have preferred different circumstances and a different shooter, but in the end, he would have been dead anyway. I've never trusted him." He sighed and looked to Sam. "Next time, can you please let us take care of business?"

Sam nodded, then said, "Yeah. I never…" She sighed and shook her head. "What now? I'm safe from Javier, but, what about the cops?"

"The police have nothing," Lorenzo told her. "They have their usual idea that Jason did it, but they can't prove it. Alexis will take care of anything else. You are both free and clear."

"So, uh…" She turned and looked up to Jason. "What do we do now?"

"Now?" He bent down and kissed the top of her forehead. "Now, we finish planning our wedding before Carly and Brenda decide to do the whole thing themselves."


End file.
